Next Star's "Insane" Work Ethic

By Dan Woods - NBL Media

With the draft successes of RJ Hampton, Ousmane Dieng and Hugo Besson, the New Zealand Breakers have been the greatest example of what the NBL Next Stars program can achieve for young and talented international players.

The Breakers will, once again, be employing a Next Star, this time in the form of French wonderkid Rayan Rupert.

Listed at six-foot-seven with a seven-foot-three wingspan, it looks like Rupert has all the physical tools to not only make a splash in the NBL, but eventually make the jump to the NBA.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Oui oui, the rumours are true. 18-year-old French&#39; wunderkind&#39; Rayan Rupert is joining the Sky Sport Breakers as our NBL23 Next Star. <a href="https://t.co/RjMOB9z5w4">pic.twitter.com/RjMOB9z5w4</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sport New Zealand Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1535059302196555776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Breakers coach Mody Maor says Rupert’s mental attributes hold him in just as good stead for reaching his massive potential.

“What Rayan is at the moment is the purest version of a hooper. It’s like this kid is from 1985. There’s no confusion about him, he doesn’t care about anything except basketball,” Maor said on The Huddle.

“He doesn’t like the idea of being a basketball player, he likes playing basketball.

“His work ethic is just off the charts insanity. Competitiveness, the toughness, the way he takes on mistakes, he’s so mature, he’s a lot of fun to be around, and he’s obviously very talented.

“He’s not even 6’7” anymore, we just measured him after practice and this kid keeps on growing and growing … every day he just looks bigger and bigger. It’s incredible, [his] physical tools.”

Out of the three NBL Next Stars players signed up to the Breakers, NBL22 star Ousmane Dieng has been, at least based on draft position, the most successful in club history.

Dieng averaged just under nine points and four rebounds a game for the Breakers. While his numbers may not have set the world alight, he offered consistent glimpses into the type of player he could eventually turn into.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rayan Rupert used his 7&#39;3 wingspan and outstanding instincts to lead the U18 European Championship in steals and block shots all over the floor. He hounds opponents in the backcourt and puts terrific pressure on the ball. Full U18 ESPN report: <a href="https://t.co/BKihgxGowR">https://t.co/BKihgxGowR</a> <a href="https://t.co/WjCcimwIid">pic.twitter.com/WjCcimwIid</a></p>&mdash; Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1559165107711709184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Maor says he’s expecting Rupert to take some time to adapt to the intensity of the professional game.

“I really don’t envy NBA scouts who have to look at an 18-year-old and say ‘this is what he’ll be when he’s 25,” he said.

“You saw ‘Ous’ (Dieng) from afar and you knew you were dealing with a kid. Long, lanky, pimples, like a baby. Rayan is very similar. Still growing, skinny, still needs to put everything together from a physical standpoint.

“There’s a lot of stuff he still needs to learn and there’s the adaptation of playing against kids to playing against adults and there’s no shortcut to it.

“Anybody who’s played basketball will know, when you go and play at the park and you’re a 15-year-old, and the 33-year-old guys come in and play with you, when you get screened by a man it’s different. It hurts differently.

“Rayan is going through this adaptation period. Especially a kid with his physical tools, he was always the predator from a physical standpoint. It’s the first time he's playing against people who are stronger than him, faster than him, so there’s an adjustment.

“If you want to bet on somebody making the adjustment it’s a kid with his approach.”